Hatching
by reality deviant
Summary: what if the events at Arcadia were just a little different?
1. Chapter 1 - School Crash

When Dennis saw the two kids arguing, he hurried to intervene. But upon being sent away, he took it to be a spat between the girl who undoubtedly stayed, as was obvious by the tired look in her eyes, and the boy, who lacked that look, over said difference.

Somewhat mollified, he left, and hid nearby, just out of sight, eavesdropping... just in case...

He got worried over the girl's accusation of stalking, and claim of boyfriend, and just as he was about to move, hearing the boy's honest denial, he heard something that made him stop.

the idea that that girl, same age as him, who looked no different then others who stayed was the illusive Skitter, who, for all intents and purposes was the local kingpin, who showed herself a formidable opponent and whom the wards, or at least he, really didn't want to fight ever again. Who got into the PRT HQ and escaped.

From there the girl denied his accusations well enough that he couldn't sense any hint whether she was playing dumb, or just someone maybe similar to Skitter, and she was of the right size. The mention of bullying was worrying-particularly the notion of bullying escalating to the point where it could become a trigger event-and didn't it make an unpleasant feeling in his gut, the idea that Skitter was around because some kids took bullying too far... if it turned out to be true, and even if it didn't, he decided to look into the matter of bullying.

Her claim of capes hurting her father hit like a punch to the gut, reminding him of the failure at the stadium explosion, and the bitter fact that the Slaughterhouse 9 escaped, and those members that didn't, were killed by villains. That the Undersiders proved more helpful then the Wards.

Glad the encounter was resolved peacefully, he couldn't leave her unsupervised, while the accusations of the boy rang unchecked.

He saw her move as if trying to avoid someone, and at first thought she spotted him, only to later see her intercepted by another girl, this one dyed her hair blonde, and had the look typical of a popular girl on a social warpath, something much less common in Arcadia then his middle school,( that STILL made him think of the less pleasant times) and her friends coming to support her.

He couldn't see the expression on the Girl's face, but she looked like a cornered crook, about to draw a gun in desperation. and as he turned and looked around him, as his gut feeling told him, he noticed insects and spiders on the walls and roof, moving fast to her direction, bees were buzzing in the nearby trees in greater and greater amount, as the dyed blonde girl, the foolish ignorant girl continued to taunt who he was now almost certain was Skitter.

The guards who were there have yet to intervene, and he didn't know if it was better or worse that way.

Blondie kept insulting, and Dennis saw the girl tightening, as though barely holding herself, more and more insects could be seen nearby, and he feared that maybe Skitter will kill for the first time, descending even farther into the darkness which spawned the truly scary and merciless villains making everything even worse.

The comment about being there when Mannequin attacked the boardwalk confirmed that even if she was not Skitter, (what he now considered unlikely) she probably was at least a subordinate from her territory, a high ranking one that got personal attention.

The dismissive comment over the severity of that only showed him that those kids who weren't here couldn't really understand what happened, and that it wasn't over yet.

The comment about strength, about victims and those who stand for themselves was familiar, and hearing Sophia, he understood why.

The comment about the mother was a low blow, the secondary one about the father had him torn between wanting to call backup to an escalating situation, and waiting so he could learn more about Skitter. But he feared that moving now would make Skitter (who was named Taylor) make her move, and stop restraining herself from harming the girl, now identified as Emma. As much of a bitch as she made herself to be in this show, he didn't want her to suffer what Skitter could do, he had nightmares for weeks after her. He read what she did to Triumph.

As Emma, losing the verbal spar, got physical and was separated by the guard, who FINALLY took action.

They stayed in the principal's office for some time, Emma leaving first, escorted out by the guard. Then he got a massage to his Wards issued phone, just as Taylor got out, running towards the exit.

Not wanting to fight Skitter backed into a corner, after she had a bad day, with a school full of potential hostages, where she could decide that it wasn't worth t to hold back against Emma,, and send black widows to do what she did to Lung, he decided it would be better to lead her out, and called "over here, there is a back exit here. Hurry!"

She followed him as he led her out, using the secret backdoor used by ward students, ants and flies on their tail. "Over here, it's a shortcut. Now left."

As they saw the unmistakable suit of Dragon, and he pulled his phone to view the massage, he learned that Skitter was in Arcadia high and she was to be apprehended, ordered by the new director of the local protectorate.

He and Taylor, now confirmed Skitter said "shit" at the same time, and he barely caught her arm as she was about to leave.

"Wait, you owe me your escape, Skitter, no, don't deny, just take this phone, contact me as soon as you got time, we must talk as soon as possible-you owe me that much at least."

Hatching 1.1 Worm divergence

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	2. Chapter 2 - Talk

The day after the fateful school meeting Dennis got a message from Skitter about a meeting.

Upon reaching the place at the agreed upon time, he got a second call for meeting in a second place, a shelter.

He is somewhat surprised to see the girl he helped at school approaching him, a map in hand. As she comes close and guides him aside, he looks her over again. "Can't believe that the fearsome kingpin Skitter who gave us such tough time is a teenage schoolgirl. By the way, you missed school today, I would have sent you homework, but didn't want to confuse the mailman with 'Teenage villain lair' address-were you too busy doing villain stuff?!" He intended it as a joke, but the expression on her face scared him, as it showed that he wasn't off the mark. "Wait! For real? I was only joking."

She looked at him for some time, as though searching something in his gaze, studying him, somewhat reminding him of a spider observing its prey, and he noticed butterflies flying around as she asked, showing no surprise: "Which one of the Wards are you?"

"Who said anything about being a Ward? No Wards here, no Ma'am."

"You already referred to 'us', 'giving us trouble'-that's what you said. You already know my identity, unless you too only obey The Code when convenient, you better spill, or I will lose patience and this meeting will end now!" he noticed bees buzzing too near them, as if to punctuate the threat, and maybe a reminder of what she did to Triumph.

"Okay, calm down Busy Bee!" The look she gave him was flat as a board. "Alright, I'll cooperate. I'm Dennis, also known as Clockblocker. Just, if somebody asks- you couldn't resist my manliness and spied on me in the shower. I will get in Sooo much trouble if they know I spilled the beans."

Strangely, he was certain he DIDN'T deserve THAT dirty look.

"Listen, if you tell me what you were doing that you skipped school, and I will tell you about the mass I saved you from at the school."

She looked at him, and told, in an everyday voice as if it was an everyday occurrence, or some outing with friends to the mall: "The Teeth decided to come to visit, Valefor and Eligos dropped by to say hi as well. I had to greet the newcomers.

Those names were known to him, and meant business. Protectorate level. Above the Wards 'pay grade'.

They all were ruthless killers.

Hearing a girl his age talking about it with such nonchalance made him feel more uneasy than everything else combined. _Is that the kind of feeling normal people get talking with the likes of Lung and Kaiser? Is that what Jack Slash makes people feel?_ And they were coming. No, they were already here, having visited the Undersiders. _Like paying tribute to the local Don-in that movie._ The idea that such scary names paid respect to the Undersiders made him only more uneasy, even without thinking about what he was about to say. But he knew that not saying will be something he will regret later.

"Dragon and Defiant came to school intending to arrest you there. The new PRT director ordered your arrest in the school. Both were on thin ice as it is. They could NOT refuse."

The teen villainess-and wasn't it weird to think about her like that? She really didn't look intimidating. –considered his words.

Her response was not as volatile as he feared. "I shouldn't be surprised anymore. You heroes do worse things, and get away with it, I bet that Skitter getting a ticket would be national news."

That response caught him off guard-"Wha- how and why would you even leave obvious villain car?"

"Imp would, for the laughs…"

"Who? Never mind, listen I'm sorry, it turned out like that, I don't agree with them. I also was hoping to do some compromise- we couldn't get you all before, and we only got weaker since than, while you got stronger, and consolidated power. Can we somehow, I don't know… make another hero-villain meeting to talk about mutual threats or something? Please."

"Fine, i will discuss it with the rest and we will contact you on the phone for details. But this can't go official with such directors, understood- this is my condition to that compromise- no word to PRT."

Figuring that it was as good as he was going to get, and any respite from the Undersiders would be welcome in light of the news- _and how come the PRT didn't tell us? Didn't they know? Or were they just keeping it secret from the Wards?_ Of new dangerous gangs coming to this disaster-struck city. He really didn't want to lose anymore Wards, anymore friends.

With that meeting having reached its conclusion in light of the alarming news, he refused the offer to join her in helping in the shelter in the meantime, and departed, all the while noticing a burly volunteer looking at him from time to time, checking for mischief, and gazing at the girl he just conversed with for instructions.

The thought of that gawky schoolgirl as a Supervillain with territory and hanchmen and all, as Skitter- who already proven dangerous and capable, was still hard to swallow.

Just how many other successful supervillains walked the street as ordinary, normal people. How many of his friends from school, kids he knew, were gang members? And the undersider's gangs were much more subtle than their predecessors'.

* * *

Sorry for the delay. Remember to review if you want more. I hope you enjoy.


	3. Chapter 3 - Dreams

Dennis was glad that his part in the apparently improbable escape of Skitter from Arcadia high was unknown- the new Director was blowing a gasket over that failure, and he couldn't read Dragon or Defiant for their reactions.

The discovery that those two, after the standstill enforced into their chase of the Nine, decided to go to the bay, to 'talk' with Skitter was not as calming as it probably should have been.

He did research the name Taylor, looking for a tall, thin, white schoolgirl, not from Arcadia. And found a picture from a middle school of a Taylor Hebert fitting what he thought Bug Girl could have looked like as a middle-schooler.

He discovered that just as that Emma girl said at the school, the girl's mother died in a car crash, as well as some other bits information-like the incident with a locker, after which she was in a hospital… And the issue of bullying-which got Emma, as well as some Madison girl and- _surprise surprise, Sophia_, _is that why Bugsy went to the other side? Are you the reason we missed the chance to get Skitter to become a Ward? _

Next thing the self-proclaimed hero of time (even if only in the privacy of his mind-away from lawyers and copyright issues),_ and eat your heart Link, I'm way cooler time hero then you,_ did was to urgently ask Miss Militia to talk.

The news about the arrivals was a surprise to her as well, and a cause for worry, his insistence on keeping the source of the news secret didn't help either.

A later phone call apparently from the Bug Kingpin to Director Tagg deteriorated to the point that he expected retaliation from the town warlords, and so did Miss Militia, if the tension she displayed that day was indication.

The late night debrief with Rosary and Halo the next night was both better and worse.

It looked like Skitter, with 'only' Regent and Imp, has subdued the Famous members of the Haven, and then the Fallen duo, one by one. They made Rosary kneel and ask permission to work in the city, as if they were the rightful lords, and got both enemies she came for all but giftwrapped. As well as a message to pass- That the PRT should mind their business and shouldn't be going around, accosting random people for being Skitter. Obviously she was shaken by the encounter despite previous experience with villains and the Fallen in particular.

The medical check of Valefor and surprising reason for the blindness made all but the director squirm.

Sare almost puked right there and then upon hearing it. Dennis was feeling queasy himself, and even Miss Militia and Defiant shown unease at the revelation.

Crucible was the one of the newcomers to ask just what kind of freak was Skitter- to which both he and Kid Win answered simultaneously: "A nightmare to fight".

While the comment about instant possession by Regent was taken as a likely bluff, the surprising immunity to the Stranger power of the blinded Villain was worrying –and it brought to mind Imp and her power, its potential for being something really scary.

"Well at the very least they got those two, and now there were only the teeth and the Undersiders themselves", he tried to lighten the mood.

It only served to remind that the volatile confrontation likely to happen soon, as the two groups used differing methods- violent brutality vs intimidation.

"It would end up as either a bloodbath, or the two groups instead of killing each other, will merge- and I don't know which I find scarier", surprisingly it was Defiant who responded verbally. "The undersiders constantly escalated things since Skitter joined them, and now she seems to lead them, the thought of the brutality and firepower of the Teeth added to the skill and tactical planning previously shown by her group seems worse than the days Lung and Kaiser were the two main villains.

On the other hand, should they destroy each other, more gangs and Villains will come to the city to fill the void, and it really will escalate."

"I doubt it, we dealt with Kaiser and Lung, we could deal with newcomers who don't know the city, The Undersiders got the advantage of having time to entrench themselves, nothing more, we will win this," Tagg seemed certain.

Afterwards Defiant asked to talk with him in private, and asked if he noticed anything of note while in school two days ago. Also asking about the search he did recently- to which Clockblocker responded honestly:" I witnessed a girl bullied; it looked like it wasn't the first time either." Well that was true enough.

He was surprised when the older hero asked him to talk with Miss Hebert about a meeting, as he wanted to talk with her about Sophia, and that it was important.

Feeling like he was seen right through, Dennis went to sleep that night full of worries about how such meeting would go. He had nightmares that night where Taylor was demanding him to see, all the while maggots were falling out of her eyes.

Replaced with ones where he was walking to a mirror in the morning, only for greetings from Imp to appear on the mirror, as if slowly written by invisible finger, dipped in blood, and his throat suddenly sporting a thing cut, that was extending into fully cut throat.

He did not get to sleep well that night at all.

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4 - Wake up call

The next day Dennis was very tired and almost slept through the lesson until the break, therefore he missed what it was that Chris was saying before .

He was surprised to see a familiar tall and thin long-haired figure at school, and almost missed what his best non caped friend at the school Gary said, though for completely different reason… "Can you repeat that?"

Gary, Enthusiastic to talk about the Wards, _and thank goodness he doesn't know any cape identities-he is a good guy, but needs getting used to, _The Villains and other cape things- informed that the girl he was ogling – _I was NOT, I was just surprised to see her here, and somewhat worried _– was better left alone, as apparently there was a rumor that the Warlord Skitter took an interest in her… THAT kind of interest. Using his hands, Gary demonstrated the rude gesture to be specific.

Chris Choked on his drink at the idea, and Lily looked at the girl speculatively for some reason.

He did notice that one of the friends of the Emma girl was kept away by an acquaintance who, unlike her and Gary, had a look of somebody who stayed, they had a brief conversation, during which said girl lost color in her face and gone pale in reaction to something that was said, and after some words left, looking scared, while Emma number 2 looked upset.

He followed Taylor to the lockers, and discovered why.

It looked like 'somebody' had heard the rumors and came with the idea of spraying on her locker the words "bug whore".

As she opened the locker, bugs started to crawl out of it, and returned, as if the order was cancelled-forming the words "Want vengeance?" before dispersing after Taylor shook her head.

The would be tormentor was there, and upon seeing the bugs' question seemed to lose the mocking smile she had, and made an imitation of a fish with her silently opening and closing mouth.

He would have seen the reactions of her sycophants were he to observe more, rather than come to the target of their malice-he approached the incognito bug-girl intending to talk to her-only to see some other girl approach her and say something, leading to The hidden villain taking her hand an leading her away- outside.

He decided that best action would be following her, but and sent to his fellow male ward in the school a cellphone photo of the mastermind behind the prank with the quarry about her name before going after her.

Just as he approached the hearing range he overheard, in a voice that was so much like at her most dangerous that he started looking around for swarms in panic for the girl's safety: "and you couldn't do it any other way? How-no, never mind-we will talk about it later, for now-", only for her to be interrupted by a cellphone ring.

It was apparently something important, as her face got a strange look upon reading it. "Sorry Charlotte, but I have to go now, we will talk later. And don't worry too much; I guess it couldn't be helped. It just that it was a pretty intense few days, and it's not over yet." Now that was a voice he expected from a teenager talking to her friend, and reminding that she wasn't really older than him, and was a scary warlord.

Dennis greeted her than, deciding to forgo farther stealth for the chance to talk before she would leave. "Hey Taylor, didn't expect to see you here". The look she gave him was a variant of annoyance he usually only got after talking for at least a couple of minutes.

"What, do you want Donald?"

"Just to talk, and it's Dennis. Did poor old Valf really deserve what you did to his eyes?"

"His record lacks murders due to skilled track covering, not any other reason, he was about to kill innocents. In my territory! I'm sure Haven could regale you with all the known details, and the discovery of his power being hypnosis at eye contact would help track some unknown ones…"

Dennis would have shivered at the cold tone of her voice and look in her eyes, if it weren't for all the things after the Endbringer attacked the city-Ward or no-another reminder who he was talking to, and just how lucky these girls were. _That Emma got suspended for the semester, I wander if I could do something about her successor, before She loses it and goes all Carrie. I don't think I will be sleeping well tonight as either._

"Also, Defiant wanted to talk to you."

"Why? I had nothing to do with him or his for a long time."

"No, he wanted to talk to the Taylor Hebert you, I think maybe he knows something, unless there is something I don't know about

..."

She didn't say anything.

It was then that she said goodbye and walked out the gate, taking back a knife from the guard and walking away.

He saw a black, broad shouldered and well-built chiseled faced guy, probably eighteen years old, great her in friendly manner, hug her, and frown over something she said, before looking at him with challenge in his eyes. The big guy led her to a van, driving off.

Just as he returned to the building, and was about to enter his class, the teacher told him that the Principal asked him to go to her as soon as he could- something about his parents.

As he ran to the aforementioned office, he was full of worry about his family.

He was surprised to have said Principal guide him to a side room, where a familiar figure awaited him.

"Hello Dennis, I am sorry to take your time and drag you from class, but we need to talk, and urgently."

Miss Militia looked displeased. The presence of Defiant with her was not reassuring.


	5. Chapter 5 - Rescheduling

Dennis, or as he called himself when in cape (metaphorically)- Clockblocker was feeling particularly uncertain as he accompanied Miss Militia and Defiant in following their guide through the once urban jungle.

Trying to distract himself from the Talk he had with the two of them before, he focused instead on their guide. Parian looked different in the redesigned costume, somewhat more violence prone, though that probably was the point. _Not that I can blame her, after the 'Jacky slash adventure' she's been through._

However, while they were unopposed as the Doll-Girl led them, there were plenty of weary, distrusting and even hostile looks around.

After some time waiting, to find no Skitter greeters, a big, bearded man, accompanied by others, who looked armed, approached them.

"And what happened now, that requires Protectorate presence to finally grace this neighborhood?"

The tone was a disrespectful one, and he was surprised for some reason at the calm and somewhat gentle response from Miss Militia. "We would like to talk with Skitter; there are things that we need to clarify."

The man glanced at their guide, and replied.

"I'm sorry, but Skitter is not free right now, we will tell her you wanted to talk if we see her."

"What, she too busy doing homework or something?" it took some time for Clockblocker to realize that it was him who said it. And caused the somewhat oppressive silence that followed.

_The recent lack of proper sleep must be really getting to me; even I am usually not THAT bad._

* * *

When Dennis went to sleep that night, he had no nightmares this time, though there was a weird dream about Skitter doing geometry homework in full costume, to the light of fireflies in some hidden villain den.

So engrossed in the chance to finally sleep well, Dennis awoke next morning to discover that he overslept, and had to leave in a hurry, hoping the good night's sleep he got was a sign for changes for the better.

The first sign that something was wrong was when he approached the school, and saw a police car parked.

He was surprised, however to hear the story not from fellow Wards, not adult heroes, nor the PRT or even from the cops.

_Gary, of all people, was the one to debrief me, though I was surprised to learn of it for some reason, though I should have expected active gang members among the new people. _

Apparently, the girl that harassed Taylor yesterday, the likely reason behind the bugs in her locker and worms stuffed in her locker and the degrading writing writing, was attacked by Skitter sympathizers among the highschoolers.

"She was cornered and beaten by kids claiming to be with the Undersiders, or at least in one of their groups."

One of their groups-there were at least two groups of the 'Undersider groupies, _I hope they are only groupies, _and that one took offense to abuse toward Hebert as someone Skitter showed to favour to (through her bug written suggestion to take revenge on behalf of Taylor). _And she is lucky that Skitter didn't take action herself, though we really should reconsider the threat level of Undersiders if they got an angry mob on their side. _

"Afterwards the under-Undersiders got into a fight with some kids that were members of E88. Cops were called to calm things, but nobody was arrested. Though the Headmistress was very angry."

And wasn't that something, to see that there were actually kids in his school, some even friends of his (and wasn't it a surprise to learn that joey-who used to goof around with their group, was now in one of these groups), that would pick chains and clubs and go on a violence spree for the Villains-as if the adult members and villains themselves weren't enough.

The thought of Clockblocker fighting kids that Dennis hanged out with was very uncomfortable.

"So who leads the Skitter groupies?"

Dennis was awakened from his thoughts by a questioning Lily.

Gary was swift to reply-"the more violent group is led by Julia, while the moderates somehow got to congregate around the Charlotte girl. I wonder if Skitter is going to make an appearance as well."

"Unlikely, the Wards still go to this school, and even Skitter wouldn't dare show herself here. The message in bugs was done from distance." _Oh, if only you knew, if only you knew, Chris._

* * *

At lunch break the time hero searched for Hebert, and found her sitting alone, this time isolated due to other reasons.

"Hi Sugar-Bug…"

"What do you want now, Dunderhead?"

_Again with The Glare, Skitter?_ "Calm down, I just want to talk."

"I had nothing to do with it; they acted on their own, and will be warned to stop later. As your friend said, Skitter can't appear here among all the Wards, after all."

He wasn't sure what was more worrying-her telling that she will 'discipline' the other students, the cold, final, tone of her voice or her knowing what Gary said. He questioned the last part.

She just looked at him, and he decided it would be better not to ask. _Not worth agitating the bee-hive_.

"We looked for you yesterday around your territory, and you weren't there, what happened, did you skip work for some action with the black guy that picked you up yesterday?" Dennis decided to take another wild shot in the dark.

The blush that suddenly attacked her cheeks and her lowering of eyes made him stop his forming smile midway, and the increased activity and buzzing from the fly that was within earshot made him worry, and reconsider the scenario of a cape fight breaking there and then. _Gary will never leave me alone, exposure will be unavoidable._

_And I got to stop joking about her whereabouts every time I meet her after some absence- one day I will jokingly ask if she went to kill Scion-and considering the accuracy of my mock predictions so far…_

Taking a few breathes to calm down, he continued.

"Miss Militia and Defiant wanted to talk with you, I'm not sure what about, but I think you should talk to them when you get time from your 'warlording' and hunting down other gangs."

* * *

The first that was thing said when he returned to his friends after this was a remark by Gary.

"I hope Skitter will agree to share."

This time it was Lily that spit her drink in surprise, and Gary waited to catch his eyes, and wink, before elaborating.

"She may not take kindly to you hitting on her girl, and don't deny it –I saw her blushing after you said something- you are very brave, and my hero for such daring. But if Skitter calls BEEs on your ass-we never met, you don't know me!"

Lily looked at him, considering- this time.


End file.
